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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29098068">each the other's world entire</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xXHumptyDumptyXx/pseuds/xXHumptyDumptyXx'>xXHumptyDumptyXx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Past Suicidal Thoughts, Protective Toby Smith | Tubbo, Protective TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Spoilers for Dream SMP Season 2 Finale, TW: threat of suicide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:07:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29098068</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/xXHumptyDumptyXx/pseuds/xXHumptyDumptyXx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy stands before the ocean, and the lava pools, and the tower, and L’manburg’s crater. He remembers the despair and hopelessness he felt in those moments, but none of that will ever compare to the way he feels right now. "You can- can manipulate me. Treat me like some toy. Exile me a thousand times over, even. I don't care. It doesn't matter what you do to me, but I refuse to live in a world without Tubbo!" (Dream tries to kill Tubbo. Tommy does whatever it takes to prevent this. He even threatens to do what he never could while in exile.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo &amp; TommyInnit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>363</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>each the other's world entire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title from “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"No! I'd rather die! I'll- I'll kill myself, Dream!" Tommy's throat burns, but not from the words, not because he’s said some version of them in front of Dream before. His throat burns because of The Axe of Peace, held close enough to draw a thin line of blood that begins to trail down his neck.</p><p>Dream stops his axe right above Tubbo's heart. Tommy doesn’t dare breathe. He doesn’t dare move as he imagines what could have happened if Dream had ignored his threat. He can see the blood that would spill against the blackstone and bedrock. He knows how it would feel slick and warm on his hands as he presses them against Tubbo’s chest. There’s only an inch or two of space between his best friend and death right now, and he’s not going to let Dream close the gap.</p><p>Tubbo doesn’t even look at the axe. The moment when his eyes find Tommy, however, when he realizes what’s going on, all the fear they hold turns into devastation. "Tommy, no!"</p><p>Dream laughs and tilts his head up in a way that Tommy is all too familiar with. The gesture used to make him feel small and worthless while in exile. Sometimes it still does. </p><p>"Tommy,” he says almost fondly, but the name sounds all wrong, all twisted up as it echoes across the room. Tommy doesn't know how he ever thought it didn't. He doesn’t know how he ever thought Dream cared. “You're just saying that so that I don't kill Tubbo. I already told you before. There's no way you'd actually do it."</p><p>Tommy’s smile is all grit. It’s a promise. "You're wrong, Dream. You’re not going to fucking kill Tubbo, because if you do, I'll kill <em> me </em>." His voice is shaky, but his hands are steady as he adjusts his grip on the axe. "I may not have done it back then, but there's something you don't understand, you green bitch."</p><p>Dream pauses for a moment before he responds. "...And what's that?"</p><p>Tommy stands before the ocean, and the lava pools, and the tower, and L’manburg’s crater. He remembers the despair and hopelessness he felt in those moments, but none of that will ever compare to the way he feels right now. "You can- can manipulate me. Treat me like some toy. Exile me a thousand times over, even. I don’t care. It doesn't matter what you do to me, but I refuse to live in a world without Tubbo!" </p><p>"Tommy, don't do this," Tubbo pleads.</p><p>Tommy’s grip on The Axe of Peace tightens to the point that his hands ache. He can’t bring himself to meet Tubbo's eyes, but he doesn't have to. He’s already seen the grief in them, and it hurts him more than anything in this entire world to be the cause. “I’m sorry, Tubbo. I know you’ve accepted this, but I can't. I won't let him win.”</p><p>“Hmm... I don't believe you," Dream concludes, calmly and matter-of-factly, before he brings his axe back up into the air above Tubbo. Tommy’s veins turn to ice. He doesn’t even think before he shoves The Axe of Peace deeper into his throat, and a pained noise leaves him involuntarily.</p><p>Dream hesitates. He may not have believed Tommy at first, but he will now. Tommy will make him. "Tommy! Stop!" There’s something new in his voice now too, besides anger and exasperation. Dream almost sounds nervous, and it’s as close to fear as Tommy's ever heard him sound. It’s enough to make the axe lower away from Tubbo, and suddenly Tommy can breathe again.</p><p>Tubbo looks like he's about to cry. He held it together as he faced down his own death, but the line of blood that trails down Tommy’s neck and the determination in his friend’s eyes makes something in him break apart. "Tommy, please! You know there's nothing we can do. There’s no way out of this! Just let me go before you hurt yourself more!" Tommy hates that he’s the reason Tubbo sounds like his, that he’s the reason Tubbo starts to cry, but he can’t stop. He’s doing this for Tubbo. He’s doing this to keep him alive. </p><p>"No!" Tommy winces at the way his throat moves against The Axe of Peace’s edge when he yells. It hurts worse than he thought it would. His neck feels warm and wet as he gazes into Dream's mask. "If you want me to stop, if you don't want me to die, Dream, then back away from Tubbo." Tommy grits his teeth against the pain, but he continues to speak anyway. "This server wouldn't be nearly as fun without me, would it?"</p><p>Dream's grip shifts around his axe. It’s the first physical sign of frustration that Tommy has seen so far, but Dream still doesn't do anything. He doesn't back away from Tubbo, but he doesn't try to take another swing either. He just looks at Tommy as the silence grows between them, and whatever conclusion he finally comes to makes him laugh. The sound destroys any remaining hope Tommy has left. Dream only laughs when he's winning.</p><p>"You're right. I don't want you to die, and if you cut any deeper, even on accident, you'll bleed to death," Dream says as he steps away from Tubbo, axe deliberately aimed towards the ground. Tommy searches for a lie, but there isn’t one. Dream means what he says, and Tommy has no choice but to move his own axe away too. The cut on his throat still burns, and the warmth on his neck increases, but at least it doesn't hurt as much. </p><p>"But, Tommy," Dream continues, and Tommy hates the way the deadly calm tone makes his vision blur and hands begin to shake. "You forget the kind of situation you're in. You're the one who doesn't seem to understand. I may not be able to kill Tubbo <em> right here, right now </em>, but there's nothing stopping me once I get that axe away from you. You're delaying the inevitable."</p><p>Tommy knows Dream is right. He can see how Tubbo’s shoulders tense up as he tries to stifle his sobs. They can’t stay in this stalemate forever. Someone will lose. What did Tubbo say earlier? Someone will eventually have to resign. Tommy lets out a shaky breath. He knows he only has one last move left in this sick game, but he can’t lose Tubbo. He won't resign unless it kills him.</p><p>Dream doesn't seem to mind the lack of response from either of them, and if anything, it looks like he expected as much. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a health pot. The vibrant color indicates its freshness, but Dream still examines it for any imperfections, and content with what he finds, takes a step forward. Tommy presses The Axe of Peace back against his throat and dares Dream to take another one.</p><p>"Tommy, let him heal you!" Tommy glances away from Dream to meet Tubbo’s eyes. He sees the desperation in them once again, but this time there's anger too. "You're- you're bleeding a lot, and- not just from your neck." Tommy wants to take the potion from Dream's hand, he really really does, but not for himself. He wishes he could use it to heal the bruises and cuts that litter Tubbo's skin like decorations. They look painful. He wishes it were him instead. He wishes Dream were dead.</p><p>Dream sighs and gestures at the room around them. "Listen to Tubbo. This is pointless. I've been generous enough to even let you say goodbye."</p><p>Tommy sneers up at Dream with hate-filled eyes and backs a few steps away. "Fuck you! I'm not taking that potion! You still don’t get it, do you? You don’t get what it means to love someone so much you’re willing to die for them, to die without them. You got rid of everything you ever cared about. You’re nothing but a fucking monster, Dream!" This isn’t pointless. This is all Tommy has left to give. Dream has already taken everything else from him. Wilbur. L’manburg. Tubbo is all he has left.</p><p>The sound of shattered glass makes Tommy flinch. His eyes follow the source, and he watches in confusion as a glistening pink liquid begins to seep into the blackstone’s cracks. He doesn’t even get the chance to process that the broken bits are from the <em> health pot </em>. He can’t do anything. He can’t even move before Dream closes the distance between them and wraps his hands around The Axe of Peace. Tommy tries to hold on to it, but he’s too weak, too beaten down at this point to even struggle. Dream effortlessly wrenches the axe away from him.</p><p>Tubbo screams. Tommy is vaguely aware that there’s words being spoken. They sound frantic and scared, but it’s difficult to hear anything over the panic that clouds his mind. His throat burns and his side aches from where he was thrown to the ground, but he forces himself to look up at Dream anyway. All he can focus on over the pain is Dream. </p><p>“You don’t have the axe anymore, but it doesn’t matter. Not as long as I leave Tubbo alone.” Tommy’s breath catches. He knows he could have done it, in the moment that Dream brought his axe down, but he couldn’t all the way back in exile, and he still can’t now. Tubbo’s soft, reassuring words ring through his ears: <em> it’s okay, it’s fine, I’ve lived long enough, my time is up. </em>What does it mean to live without someone? What does it mean to live for just yourself? Tommy doesn’t know. He doesn’t want to find out. He feels weak for not being able to do it, but he also feels stronger than he’s ever been. The realization hurts him almost as much as any bruise or stab or hit ever will. </p><p>“Oh, Tommy, you'll never stop fighting. That's what makes you so fun,” Dream says, and although Tommy can’t see his face, he knows there’s a smile under that mask. A cruel, victorious smile. It’s over. Dream is going to win. He’s going to kill Tubbo. He’s going to drag Tommy away and put him in some cell so he can break him over and over again, and this time he’s going to succeed. </p><p>Tommy doesn’t know when he began to cry, but the sobs make his throat burn hot and painful. It’s too late. Dream has already raised the axe. Tubbo has already closed his eyes and folded in on himself in defeat. “No! No, please! Dream, please! I’m sorry! I’ll do anything! Don’t kill- don’t kill Tubbo, please!” Tommy doesn’t think about why he’s able to reach Tubbo, about why he has enough time to shield him with his body. He just cries and trembles and begs as he waits for the end, but it never comes.</p><p>"Punz.”</p><p>Tommy opens his eyes in shock and looks up. Punz really is here. He stands in front of Dream, clad in enchanted netherite and with a trident in one hand and an axe in the other. His expression is blank as he takes in the scene in front of him, but his words leave no room for interpretation. “I’m sorry Dream, but you should have paid me more.” Dream can’t even respond before the portal begins to shift and form around another person, and another, and another, until over half the server stands before them. Everyone is armed with some kind of weapon, and all of them are pointed at Dream.</p><p>The next few minutes are a blur of adrenaline and relief. It doesn’t truly hit Tommy, though, none of what just happened hits him, until he parts through his current and former friends to see Dream stood alone. He stares into Dream’s mask and doesn’t feel afraid. It’s finally over. He's won.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The "What am I without you?" "Yourself." lines killed me. I hope their meaning within this fic makes sense, and that everything is just good and believable in general lmao</p><p>If you enjoyed, please leave a comment, even just a POG! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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